A Herald Square izakaya crowns its sukiyaki with a melting cloud
Skewers, sashimi, and a sukiyaki hot pot topped with a sweet cloud you melt into the broth, minutes from Herald Square.
🍲 A cloud over the hot pot
Ai Ki Ya sits a few doors off Herald Square, a calm room with warm lighting and a menu built for lingering. The signature sukiyaki arrives with a marshmallow cloud perched over the hot pot, and you can pull pieces off to eat or let them melt into the broth for a quiet sweetness. The pot leans pricey, though the beef and vegetables inside stretch easily across two people. Around it, the kitchen sends out fresh sashimi, grilled yakitori skewers, and a rotation of hot pots. Cocktails and daily happy hour specials keep the counter busy, while the doors stay open to 1 AM on weeknights, when a late table is rarely a problem. It reads as a weekday lunch or an unhurried dinner date, close enough to Koreatown to fold into a longer night.
